RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Brazil have recalled 35-year-old Santos striker Ricardo Oliveira for the team's opening 2018 World Cup qualifiers next month, the country's football confederation said on Thursday.

Oliveira replaces attacking midfielder Roberto Firmino, who suffered a back injury while playing for Liverpool in their League Cup victory over Carlisle United on Wednesday.

Brazil will begin their qualifying campaign against Chile in Santiago on October 8 before hosting Venezuela in Fortaleza five days later.

Oliveira is the leading scorer in Brazil's Serie A championship this season with 17 goals from 25 matches.

He has scored three goals in 11 international appearances for Brazil, the last of which came in 2007.